


032 - Music Festival Cute Meet

by storiesaboutvan



Category: Catfish and the Bottlemen (Band)
Genre: Cute meet, F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 13:04:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17468111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesaboutvan/pseuds/storiesaboutvan
Summary: Filling the prompt “Can you do a request where you hit it off with Van at a music festival but you didn’t even know he was in a band? :)”





	032 - Music Festival Cute Meet

he sun was turning everyone peach, pink, and painful red. Skin was blistering and you winced every time another burnt body walked past. "We need to find sunscreen," you said to Delilah. She nodded in agreement. You set off across the festival arena holding hands. There was an information booth set up between the VIP village and a row of food trucks. You both covered your arms and legs and all the exposed skin possible with the free sunscreen. You dabbed some on your noses and hairlines, and mattified with pressed powder. You turned back to the booth to pump more into your hand, and when you spun back, Del was gone. You walked out into the crowd a little, then back to the booth front.

"You alright, sweetheart?" someone asked. He didn't pronounce the letter t, and he didn't say 'sweetheart' to be patronising. You replied before looking at the person.

"Uh. Yeah. My friend was right here, but now I can't see her," you replied.

"Red hair, black dress with yellow flowers on it?" Yes! You turned around to look at the guy. "Is that her at the water tank?" Your vision focussed on where he was pointing. Del was standing at the tank with your drink bottle and hers. She'd filled them, but she was talking to a girl in the same dress as hers. You felt a wave of relief, then remembered the hand of sunscreen and your potentially burning back.

"How did you know that was her?" you asked the guy.

"When I was walking over here she was still next to you." It made sense, and wasn't creepy. You were about to make it creepy though.

"Oh. Um. Could you do me a favour?" you asked. He nodded. "Put this sunscreen on my back?" He smiled, nodded again, and held his hand out. You tipped it in and turned around. He was careful not to get it on your clothes. "Was this a weird thing to ask a stranger to do?"

"No, it's fine. Happy to help. Did you not want to just ask your friend though?" he asked.

“She's flirting. That is Del's I'm-in-love face. The other girl might be straight, but it will not deter her," you explained. The guy chuckled and clapped once, indicating he was done. You faced him again. "Thank you. I'd offer to do the same but you're wearing full length everything. Aren't you hot?"

He was wearing black pants, and a blue button up tucked in. You would think it was cold out. He was even wearing boots. The only hit of summer festival vibes were the blue mirrored sunglasses. He laughed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Don't plan on being out here in the sun much," he told you. You nodded at the vague answer. "So who are you here to see?"

"This is going to sound either really lame, or really pretentious… I don't actually know many of the bands playing. I'm more here to make sure Del doesn't get into trouble, really,"

"That's good of you," he said genuinely.

"Is there anyone I should definitely check out?" Besides, like, him. Since locating Del and being covered in sun protection, you could focus on him properly. You could focus on the angle of his cheekbones and jawline. You could focus on how he licked his lips a lot. You were definitely checking him out. You couldn't tell how he was looking at you though, because of his sunglasses. You were thankful for your heart shaped ones.

“There's a band playing a little later, around 5, Catfish and the Bottlemen. Have you heard of them?" he asked.

"Catfish and the Bottlemen?" you repeated and he nodded enthusiastically. "I don't think so. Would I know any of their songs?"

"Maybe. Radio plays Cocoon a bit,"

"Sing some?" you requested, and he smiled like you made a joke. He sung a few lines and you did recognise it. "Oh! Yep. Yeah, no I know that one. It's clever and cute,"

"So you'll go see them?"

"Yeah. We had a gap in our planner just before dinner, so probably,"

"Maybe I'll see you there? You should get to the front. I'll be around there somewhere." He sounded very hopeful and sure that a) you'd be there and b) you'd find him. You nodded in agreeance. "I'm Van, by the way," he said and you shook hands.

"Y/N,"

"I'll see you later then."

As soon as he walked away Del jumped in front of you. "Who was that?!" she asked.

"A person. Who's the girl in the dress?" you asked back.

"Her name is Jennifer and she's a little bi-curious," Delilah said.

"Her words or yours?"

…

You ended up against the barrier for Catfish, but it was a coincidence. The band before was on Del's must-see list, and when you told her you wanted to stay for the next band, she narrowed her eyes and asked why. You shrugged and said you heard they were good. As roadies changed the set-up, and Del asked the security for water, you looked around. The boy in the blue shirt was nowhere to be seen. The lights in the tent went down, and you gave your attention over to the stage.

Four guys walked out. The drummer you noticed first, despite him quickly positioning himself behind the kit. It was his hair. So curly and big; a halo shining with the lights behind him. You looked to your right then because the bass player also had masses of curls bouncing. You checked the guitarist quickly; if he was the same then the singer had the whole set. Unfortunately he was wearing a hat. The singer had grabbed the microphone and you looked at him for the first time, and somehow air got caught in your throat and you choked. They started to play at the same time, so nobody could hear you dying a little bit.

He spotted you in a moment where the music stopped and it was just his voice sounded out across the crowd. He looked at you, cocked his head to the side and grinned while he sang, "I'm only looking out for you… She says it's obvious that's a lie… And I only ever put out for you… You know it's obvious you don't try…" Your mouth was hanging open, and he winked. It was the end of the song, so they launched into the next. You recognised this one, and so did Del. She turned to you and yelled that it was on the radio. She then realised you were having a moment.

"It's the guy from before!" you yelled in her ear. She looked up at him, laughed, then looked back. She gave you the thumbs up and started to dance. You knew he was watching, so you were torn between wanting to show that you liked his band by dancing, and not wanting to look ridiculous by dancing. The crowd was going mental, and you knew standing still would probably be a bad idea. You danced, and they were so good that any self-consciousness you had dissipated quickly.

Van watching you, him singing to you, the way his hips swayed side to side, and the way he screamed into the microphone upside down… all of it was driving you crazy. When they walked off stage you were totally gone. Del took one look at you with your glassy eyes and your stupid grin and spoke. 

"Take you out of the motherfucking oven. You are done, my friend."

You laughed, then there was a tap on your shoulder. You turned. Van was standing on the other side of the barrier. His hair was wet with sweat and his shirt, a different one to the blue, was stuck to his chest.

"You… I… That was amazing!" you had stopped caring if he thought you were cool a million songs ago. You just needed him to know how good he was, and how proud you were despite not knowing him.

"Yeah?"

"Yes, fuck. Yes," you said and your head was nodding furiously and you were looking at him like he was a god. He saw it in you, or he saw something else he was into, because he grabbed your face with both hands and pulled you into a kiss. You kissed back as hard as you could. His tongue was down your throat and you felt really unhinged in the best possible way. When the lack of oxygen began to hurt you pulled away.

"That was gross," Del said from beside you. You shot her a look, but Van laughed.

"Come on. Jump the fence and you can come backstage," 

"Are we allowed?" you asked.

"Y/N!" Del cried, and was jumping the barrier in a second. Van helped her land. You smiled and nodded. You were more awkward about climbing over, but you landed in Van's arms.

As Delilah led the way, guided by some inner knowing of how the backstage of a festival worked, Van took your hand. "Glad you came," he said.

You walked through the VIP village, trying to take it all in; the familiar faces of singers, the bar handing out drinks with no cash exchange, the couches of people dressed inappropriately for the weather, and the atmosphere of cool. All those things though, they meant nothing compared to how it felt to watch Van direct Del as he pulled you along gently. You felt his thumb rub along your hand and you skipped a step quickly to walk next to him. He looked at you, smiled, and lifted your hand up to his mouth and kissed it lightly. Take you out of the motherfucking oven.


End file.
